Chat with Amin Elhassan

Welcome to SportsNation! On Thursday, NBA Insider Amin Elhassan stops by to chat about the latest news from around the hardcourt.

Elhassan joined the ESPN NBA Insider team following a stint with the Phoenix Suns. He earned his way up the ranks with the Suns, serving as a video coordinator, college scout, before finally working as the assistant director of basketball operations. While with the Suns, he also earned his MBA from Arizona State.

Andrew Bynum (Sheltered)

Why hasn't a team tried signing me? Am I damaged goods like my boy Justin Bieber? Cause I still feel like a believer.

Amin

(3:01 PM)

Hey Drew, hope the knees are feeling better. You're unsigned because you reportedly want more than minimum, which could be a career limiting move. What did you do with the $6M? Just play the year out pal, and if you make an impact, you'll make up the income. As for the Biebs, I can't help you there. I'm just glad he won't be in the celeb game this year.

Keanu (Honolulu)

Have you seen Mirotic play and how good do you think he will be in the NBA?

Amin

(3:01 PM)

I have! He's a skilled stretch 4 who has developed into one of the very best players outside the NBA (not just potential, production). I think he'll be a very good starter and sometime All-Star in our league.

Derrick (Garden City)

Do you think Boozer will be amnestied this offseason?

Amin

(3:01 PM)

I don't, for two reasons. This is kind of counterintuitive, but big market Chicago is very much small market when it comes to expenses. Last year was the first time they delved into luxury tax EVER! The idea of paying Boozer almost $17M to play elsewhere would be a little hard for Jerry Reinsdorf (team owner) to accept. The second reason is an amnestied Boozer would pose an incredible risk to the Bulls should he clear waivers and choose to sign with a rival like Miami, Indiana, etc. for minimum.

Chris Fiegler (Latham,NY)

What is the Oldest NBA Arena that is Currently Used for Basketball?

Amin

(3:02 PM)

I'd have to look it up, but it's either Oracle in Oakland or Madison Square Garden. Google is your friend, Chris.

Jeremy (NJ)

so it only takes injuries to all the knicks' experienced bigs to finally revert back to small ball. great coaching!

Amin

(3:02 PM)

Preaching to the choir, reverend.

Ryan (The D)

Please tell me the Pistons are not dumb enough to miss the playoffs and forfeit their pick to Charlotte? If they keep to the status quo they will set the franchise back 4 years!!

Amin

(3:02 PM)

Making/missing the playoffs is not a choice at this point for the Pistons. They were "dumb enough" during the offseason when they constructed this team with ill-fitting parts and a lot of free agency money spent. Now it's praying time!

Bryan (Madison)

Can you explain what John Hammond is doing with the Bucks? Short summary: Bucks came into the season hoping to contend. It hasn't worked, due in part to injuries and in part to poor roster construction. Now, the franchise appears to be willing to rebuild (I won't say tank). If so, why are Luke Ridnour, Gary Neal, Epke Udoh, OJ Mayo, and Ersan Ilyasova still on the team? These are all solid complimentary players miscast as important players on the Bucks. But they could all help contending teams (for example, Ridnour as a backup point guard on the Wizards, and Mayo and Udoh to the Bobcats for Gordon's expiring contract). All Hammond should be looking for in return is an expiring contract and, possibly, second-round picks, depending on the trade. Get it done already, and free up playing time for the rebuild/youth movement.

Amin

(3:03 PM)

It was never going to work, because this team's roster isn't good enough. But I agree, they should be looking to pawn off all these pieces who have the potential to be good role players elsewhere.

Owen (Toronto)

Do you think Rondo will be traded? Sounds like he and the C's have had contract talks

Amin

(3:03 PM)

I wrote about this the other day. I think the Celtics SHOULD keep him....whether that will happen is anyone's guess. http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10354570/why-boston-celtics-keep-rajon-rondo-nba

Ben (Chicago)

Who is a bigger drag on OKC, Perkins or Fisher? Do you have any insights as to why they are playing serious minutes rather than on the coaching staff?

Amin

(3:04 PM)

Perk in a landslide. At least Fish gives you one of those fluke 3P makes that people point to as "proof" of "veteran leadership". As far as why those guys get minutes? I'm really beginning to think the Thunder fear negative consequences of an ornery Perk who doesn't get to play, especially after seeing all the comments from last night where they made it seem that playing smallball was a wild experiment that they still aren't totally sure of.

O-dog (Boston)

How good do you see Jared Sullinger becoming?

Amin

(3:04 PM)

A Luis Scola type of player. Invaluable to a winning team, solid numbers, maybe even ascending to David West style All-Star.

Alex (Anaheim)

What team could Pau Gasol help the most at this point?

Amin

(3:05 PM)

Espana, in the World Cup

Owen (Boston)

As a Celtics fan, im very excited for the future. With Jared Sullinger and this years (hopefully top 3) draft pick I think it looks bright. Maybe Rondo is there too. For me, the X-factor(s) is Brooklyn's 2017 and 2018 draft picks, which the Celtics have the rights to. Do you see Brooklyn being a bottom feeder in those years? If they are, I think Boston will be incredibly dangerous with two more top prospects

Amin

(3:06 PM)

I definitely think there is a strong chance those picks will come back to bite Brooklyn in the rear end, but just remember they are going to throw every financial resource available to make sure that doesn't happen. As a Celtic fan, you should be rooting for every other Eastern team to get really good and keep Brooklyn out of the playoff picture. Otherwise, you're looking at picks in the 15-18 range

Bryan (Madison, WI)

At this point, would Detroit trade Josh Smith for an expiring contract? Dumars would, essentially, be admitting a mistake, but limiting the damage to this season.

Amin

(3:07 PM)

If they could, they would. But nobody's taking that contract.

Alex (Columbia MO)

Have you had a chance to take a look at Mizzou's Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown? Any chance either gets a first-round grade from the NBA Draft folks and decides to leave school?

Amin

(3:08 PM)

I scouted Clarkson when he was Tulsa and liked his all-round game...at the time didn't see him as a first round prospect. Haven't seen Mizzou play since early this season, I have some homework to do!

Ricardo (NY)

Hey Amin! There are plenty of teams in the league that have built good defensive schemes to maximize the strengths of their players. Indiana is the best example. Which teams, in your opinion, are not taking advantage in the same way? Detroit comes to mind. If a team with Drummond is that terrible defensively, especially in the paint, something's really wrong.

Amin

(3:09 PM)

Detroit would definitely top that list, but I would also include Portland and Utah as head-scratchingly bad on defense. They ought to be better considering their personnel

Meyer Lansky (Orlando)

I want to ask you, given your experience in NBA organizations, about this dangerous idea of having players give input on the roster make-up. I always go back to the Magic giving Glen Davis 4 years, 28M. Was this a case of the executive in charge of calling Howard every day asking him for his thoughts, him replying "You know what? I think Glen Davis is the guy we need to get back to the finals!", and this guy telling the GM to make it happen? Or was it a case of the basketball people taking this gamble on an undersized, short-armed, overweight backup to give Dwight a sign that this was "his team"?

Amin

(3:11 PM)

Hi Meyer, big fan of Boardwalk Empire here. I don;t know what happened in Orlando leading up to that deal, but I think as a front office you have to do what's best for your team. If your star player (whom you are trying to resign and is an MVP caliber talent) says he wants his buddy on the team, you try everything you can to keep him, but once the convo goes to $28M, you say "Sorry Dwight, we tried."

Jay (Charlotte, NC)

Percent chance that Al Jefferson makes the all-star game?

Amin

(3:12 PM)

Quietly having a very solid year, especially when you consider how many minutes he plays and how good Charlotte is defensively. The problem is coaches pick All-Star reserves, and many times coaches really don't put too much thought process in this. So they look at standings and name a lot of usual suspects quickly before turning in their ballots. Sorry to say, no one is killing brain cells over this when they are fighting for their livelihood!

Stephan (NY)

Chris Bosh, underrated defender? If you put the popular stats by side (blocks, steals, even rebounds) he is doing so much heavy lifting for the heats defense. what do you think?

Amin

(3:13 PM)

I think basketball people recognize this easily. It's harder for fans to grasp this concept though; they want to see a number or per game average that tells them someone is good.

Ulmi (Dallas)

How long is a "20 Second" time out in reality? Watched Heat-OKC yesterday, come on, that is a joke, why do they call it like this?

Amin

(3:15 PM)

National TV games always have longer timeouts (TV commercials)....that said, 20 seconds shouldnt last that long. I know it's been a point of emphasis for the league to make teams get back on the court quicker after timeouts, but how do they legislate? If refs started T'ing up teams that are slow to come out of the huddle, we'd all be crying about how this is making the game even longer.

Jake S (Ohio)

What should the Cavs do? Just read an ESPN article with GM Chris Grant calling out the team for a "lack of effort." Mike Brown saying that he might have to "shake things up." I know the Cavs don't want to be paying 3 head coaches (if we fire Brown). Do you see the team making some major movements around the trade deadline?

Amin

(3:15 PM)

I think if this doesn't get fixed (aka at least make the playoffs), the Cavs will push the red button at season's end and EVERYONE could be gone.

Jay (Charlotte, NC)

Is there ANY hope that Bismack is ever a solid NBA player?

Amin

(3:16 PM)

Define solid: 18-20 min role player big who rebounds and defends? Sure. But does he know (and accept) that?

jason (philly)

Thad Young to PHX for Okafor and 2 mid/late first round picks. What do you think?

Amin

(3:16 PM)

I think you must be new to the chat or must not follow me on Twitter.

Charlie (California)

Are the Warriors a NBA finals contender? Will they be within the next few years?

Amin

(3:18 PM)

I was asked this on TrueHoop TV Live yesterday; I think they are. They have all the pieces necessary to go deep into the playoffs, but for whatever reason seem to trot out the oddest lineups. In the next few years, what happens to Lee, Barnes and Thompson will greatly dictate how long this team can be in contention for.

Deven (New York, NY)

How far can the Suns go in the playoffs?

Amin

(3:18 PM)

A tough first round knockout

David S. (Provo, UT)

Is Tyrone Corbin in Utah past this season?

Amin

(3:19 PM)

I think when you see the improvement the team made after an awful start, you have to give Corbin some credit for not losing that locker room. Then again, if I'm the Jazz, I do my due diligence before committing to anything long term.

Ziad (Toronto)

Who gets snubbed tonight from the ASG reserves? From the East? From the West?

Amin

(3:20 PM)

East: Either Lowry or DeRozan will make it but not both. Jefferson as wellWest: Either Conley or Dragic or (gasp!) both.

Clark (Durham, NC)

What do you think of the Kevin Love to the Lakers talk? Will the Lakers save cap room for him in 2015? Does anybody really want to go play second fiddle to Kobe right now?

Amin

(3:21 PM)

I think of the Capone and Noreaga song "LA, LA big city of dreams/but everything in LA aint always what it seems"

Dane (Alberta)

Love all your content Amin. Can I get a prediction for the contract Isaiah Thomas gets in the offseason?

Amin

(3:24 PM)

Elhassan's 2014 Free Agent Big Board 3.0 coming soon....

beau (Denver)

Kenneth Faried value is falling like a safe full of nickels dropped from an airplane. Would the Nuggets be wise to trade him nite or hope he gets it together?

Amin

(3:24 PM)

I've always felt that Faried is who he is; he's not going to improve into much more of a player. I'd keep him if I knew I could pay him something reasonable, but that doesn't appear to be the case

Slava Medvedenko (Kiev, Ukraine)

Assuming Lakers finish with #5 pick, do you think they will draft a player or look to use the pick as a trade chip for a big name star to win now?

Amin

(3:26 PM)

I think the Lakers will keep the pick. There's a very talented draft class, and they need to start thinking about life after Kobe. Also, having an ubertalent on a subsidized contract doesn't hurt, especially with Kobe's 48 mill over the next two years gumming up the books

THATkrazGUY (NYC)

What "stretch" player from the past do you think was way ahead of his time?

Amin

(3:26 PM)

pj (midlo)

your take on how good a backcourt Wall and Beal can become or is there size going to hold the tandem back

Amin

(3:27 PM)

Definitely dont think size is an issue. Wall is big for a PG, and Beal makes up for his slight height disadvantage with his extraordinary length. They are in the conversation for best backcourt right now!

Jason (L'ville)

Austin Rivers has career win shares of -0.9. Isn't he a worse first round pick than Royce White? White contributed nothing, but if Rivers contributed nothing, his team is better!

Amin

(3:29 PM)

Ouch! Rivers has been SLIGHTLY better this year....and at least holds the potential to be an OK NBA player at some point (if he accepts his fate). Royce White has all but cemented that he will never, ever play in the NBA

George (Jersey)

i think Serge Ibaka is extremely underrated an if he played on a bad team an got the touches Anthony Davis does their numbers would be identical. Taking nothing away from davis but ibaka doesn't seem to be in any of the young bigs conversations

Amin

(3:29 PM)

I feel what you're saying about Ibaka being underrated, but you lost me when you compared him to Anthony Davis.

Diego (Oviedo, Fl) [via mobile]

Hello! I want your thoughts on Vic Oladipo. Do we have a player who is a legit all star, someone to build around? Or is he more of a good player on a good team? Also, do you think any other young guy on the team will devolop as an all star player? I'm excited for our teams future!

Amin

(3:30 PM)

I think he is going to be a good player on a good team....Harris MIGHT be All-Star material, but ultimately I think Orlando has a cast of good supporting players who need a star to help make them better.

Anish Shah (Cranford, NJ)

I hate Jim Buss. He has ruined my great franchise. All I can do is cheer for Swaggy P and Jodie Meeks!! What happened? I'd take Slava Medvedenko back at this point.

Amin

(3:31 PM)

Slava just asked me about the Lakers pick this year! You should tell him how you feel!

Whitney (Georgetown)

Who do you think takes the Atlantic Raptors or Nets? I keep hearing that Ujiri is going to trade his assets to start a last half of the season tank, but the clock is ticking.

Amin

(3:32 PM)

I think a good tank is out of reach at this point....the Raps would need several awful teams to suddenly find their way, and I dont think thats going to happen.

B Mand (Sarasota, FL)

Is Jeff Hornacek the biggest reason for the Suns' success, or is it more of a combination of factors?

Amin

(3:33 PM)

Combo of factors but he definitely deserves a lot of credit for creating an atmosphere and culture that rewards guys who play hard and play unselfishly.

Angie (Utah)

Do you think the results of last night's OKC/Miami game encourages Brooks to go small? Or do you think he continues to keep Perk in the starting lineup and sub based on matchups?

Amin

(3:34 PM)

I did until I heard the postgame comments from Brooks and Durant. Either they are truly clueless, or they are trolling us all with this "I guess the smallball worked TONIGHT" malarkey

Kristian Winfield (@_KWSports) (Brooklyn,NY)

I saw you tweet 140 chars isn't long enough to describe changes you'd make to draft format. The floor is now yours.

Amin

(3:34 PM)

Unfortunately, there are a lot of questions to get to. I promise I am going to write a piece about this

Joe (Wilmington)

So you hate who says no trade questions yet you write an article this week about where a team should trade a player, to which Toronto would say no to that trade.

Amin

(3:37 PM)

Several reasons why: 1- my trade scenarios include elements of fact: the Raps have considered moving Lowry, and Houston is one of the teams interested. 2- I think I made it clear that Toronto might not do this deal, but it's hard to imagine them getting a better offer. 3- I just don't feel like entertaining hare-brained proposals from people all day. My prerogative, just like it's your prerogative to waste people's time with awful proposals!

Aaron (Indy)

In an effort to appease Kyrie and get him a second star, Shouldn't the Cavs do everything they can to try to trade for Kevin Love? They have several assists.

Amin

(3:38 PM)

You're assuming that Love is on the block. By that token, shouldnt Minnesota do everything they can to trade for Kyrie instead of trading Love?

K (Kotor, Montenegro )

Is there ever conflict between teammates based on who's Christian &#x26; who's atheist?

Amin

(3:42 PM)

Most players are respectful of each other's beliefs. I have not heard of any incidents surrounding religion.

Dan (Ca)

Thoughts about the 4 pointer?

Amin

(3:43 PM)

I applaud my guy Tom "Stelio" Haberstroh for thinking outside the box, but I would think about moving the 3P line back before adding a 4 pt line

Neil Auricchio (The Hamilton, NJ)

Any chance Billy King uses his cap exception from the Lopez injury and brings in a old veteran center like a Matt Geiger or an Alaa Abdelnaby? Geiger could really space the floor with his pick and pop game.

Amin

(3:44 PM)

Steve Urkel (Chicago)

Amin

(3:44 PM)

I think he's hit "overrated" because of how he's played this year. But I still cape for him!

Lionel Hutz (Vancouver, BC)

Which former Phoenix Sun player made the best Simpsons character?

Amin

(3:45 PM)

Grant Hill, hands down. We gave him the Duke high top fade.

Chalifoux (Boston)

Where is bargnani's basketball IQ???? He reminds me of watching antoine walker, talented but no brains

Amin

(3:45 PM)

Didn't make it through customs, I guess.

Chalifoux (Boston)

Who should start the all star game instead of Kobe in the west?

Amin

(3:46 PM)

Paul if he's healthy. Harden if Paul isn't

Johnny (Basketball Fan)

Of the Morris twins, i thought Markieff was the better outside shooter, but Marcus is shooting better from 3 and Markieff is shooting better inside the arc and in particular in the paint. Set the record straight. (question mark).

Amin

(3:47 PM)

In college, the numbers showed Kieff was the better 3P shooter, but that's mainly because the line is closer and because he was a catch and shoot guy while Marcus would pull up off the dribble. In the pros, we're seeing Marcus embrace more catch and shoot from deep, and also exhibit deeper range.

Steve Urkel (Chicago)

Is Terrence Ross the biggest BBVA rising stars challenge snub?

Amin

(3:48 PM)

No because he's had a lackluster year until after Gay got traded. Miles Plumlee has been one of the best young bigs in the league for a team that's winning

Pumpernikiel (Poland)

Who's worse Harrison Barnes or MKG? And why is Barnes in the RSC?

Amin

(3:48 PM)

They do different things, and both are on teams that are failing to take full advantage of their skills. As far as the Rising Stars Challenge, I'd be more upset that Waiters is going than Barnes.

Luke (Lakerville)

Instead of throwing $22-24M at Melo, aren't the Lakers better off using that money to land 3 quality guys to round out their starting 5 (Bledsoe, Deng and Pau each for $8M/year)?

Amin

(3:49 PM)

Because none of those guys are signing for 8 a year (Melo isnt coming either).

Aaron (Indiana)

How are the Pacers 12 point favs against the hot Suns?

Amin

(3:49 PM)

I'm not a bookie.

Mike (East Lansing)

Who do you think has a brighter future, Andre Drummond or Joel Embiid?

Amin

(3:49 PM)

Not a fair comparison until we see Embiid vs NBA talent

Chris (Broadview Heights, OH)

When you say EVERYONE could be out for the Cavs if they don't make the playoffs are you referring to everyone - GM/Coaches or everyone - GM/Coaches/Major Roster shakeups (i.e. - lottery picks Irving, Thompson, Waiters and maybe Bennett if he gets minutes)?

Amin

(3:50 PM)

Everyone meaning Gilbert, Kyrie are the only ones Sharpied in and everyone else better pray for mercy or get their resume ready.

David (NOLA)

As a big Kyrie Irving fan, what do you think accounts for his lack of growth this year?

Amin

(3:52 PM)

I think he's frustrated with the circumstances surrounding him in Cleveland.

smurf (smurf)

Amin

(3:53 PM)

Not true; read the piece I wrote about him last year, I ripped him for being a terrible defensive player.

stephan (Dallas)

if you look at advanced stats like win shares, etc on basketball-reference you will find the usual suspects on top, that tells me that those stats might be not so bad. kobe is ALWAYS a tad below the elite of the elite. he is a great, great player. but in my opinion he is a little overrated and can thank charlotte for the draft trade.

Amin

(3:53 PM)

Tread softly Stephan....

George Costanza (Vandalay Industries)

Is Terrence Ross's 51-point performance the most unexpected thing to happen in the NBA this year?

Amin

(3:54 PM)

That's your question? And you wanna be my latex salesman...

Clark (NYC)

Amin! How do you think year one of "spurs east" is going with coach Budenholzer and the Hawks?

Amin

(3:54 PM)

Coach Bud is doing an awesome job, particularly after losing Horford early. I love the plays he draws up out of timeouts....great get by the Hawks.

Pete (Milwaukee)

Remember when the Bucks were winning with Sidney Moncrief, Terry Cummings, Ricky Pierce and Paul Pressey? Those were happy times.

Amin

(3:55 PM)

When Central Division titles were the norm! People forget how tough the Bucks of the 80s were....cant forget about Sikma!

stephan (Dallas)

people are obsessed with spacing, 3 point shots and free throws. I understand why. my question: the way they played the old days, more post ups, great centers etc, did they have less point per possesions or would it be possible to play the old way under new rules if you have a player like shaq, hakeem or the admiral?

Amin

(3:56 PM)

I think there are two things at work: one, the defensive rules change make it harder for post-up guys to have room to operate. second, the caliber of the back-to-the-basket play in American grassroots basketball has suffered a dramatic decline, so we are seeing less and less skilled players in that respect.

Jon (Phoenix, AZ)

Is Danny Granger available at all? Or is Indy going to keep him around for the run this year and then let him walk?

Amin

(3:58 PM)

Indy is going to keep him for their playoff run, then let him walk and use some of that money to resign Lance Stephenson.

Kevin (Plymouth, MI)

Would a 4 point shot entice Antoine Walker to come out of retirement?

Amin

(3:58 PM)

One can only dream!

JW (MA)

Afternoon Amin! which Cav would u rather-Varejao or Thompson? or are u keepin' both? thanks for the chats!!

Amin

(3:59 PM)

I love Varejao, but he is a player built for a winning team. If I can improve the roster around him, I'd keep him. He might also be one of their best trade assets, so that might not be a choice. On the other hand, Thompson is heading into his extension summer, so if his contract demands are outlandish, he might be the piece to trade.

Ron (DC)

How lethal could John Wall be if he devolops that jumper? Hes made progress but still a ways to go

Amin

(4:00 PM)

A looooooooong ways to go. He also needs to do a better job at playing at different speeds

Denise (Huntsville)

Who do you think that the Heat could get by the trade deadline to improve their team this year?

Amin

(4:00 PM)

The Heat aren't in a position to trade,really. They have no tradeable assets. More likely they will wait until after the trade deadline, when players get cut or bought out and seek to sign someone for minimum.

Chris (Miami)

Amin, why can't Mike Beasley stand in one spot and shoot open shots when LBJ passes it to him? Why does he have to dribble? WHY???

Amin

(4:01 PM)

Because he's BE EASY! If he could make simple decisions, he'd be making bank as the main player on his own team!

Jon (Phoenix, AZ)

Will Eric Gordons contract scare someone away from offering Bledsoe a max deal? Or are the Suns pretty much stuck matching some team throwing a max at him. similar to what they did with Gordon. Or will the Jazz and Suns just perform seppuku on each other with Hayward and Bledsoe.

Amin

(4:02 PM)

There's an old NBA saying: "it only takes one", meaning you dont have to convince 30 teams of your alleged worth, just one sucker!

Benjo (DC)

Thanks for all the content, Amin! Obviously there is more than one fix needed for a team hovering around .500, but what would you say is the one particular thing the Wizards are missing from moving to the next level. My estimation is another consistent scorer, preferably a wing guy who could anchor a pretty terrible 2nd unit. Danny Granger perhaps (not in-season, as the money wouldn't work)?

Amin

(4:03 PM)

I think a stretch big is absolutely necessary...I know the Gortat-Nene combo has worked for them this year, but I'm not a fan. The continued development of Otto Porter and Glen Rice are key as well

Sam (SLC)

Please make the winning in Utah stop. I'd really really really like Wiggins or Parker. Sure, a winning environment is important but losing a few years hasn't seemed to hurt OKC.

Amin

(4:04 PM)

I don't know how you "stop" winning without ruining your player development. OKC didn't have to try to lose on purpose, they just did because their guys had to figure stuff out.

Mark (LA)

Is there a case for Kendall Marshall to be in the Rising Stars game, or is the sample size too small?

Amin

(4:05 PM)

Definitely too small, although he has played very well. Then again, DION WAITERS MADE IT???

Drom John (Macon, GA)

Do the Bucks hold on to Gary Neal if they believe the 4-pt shot is coming?

Amin

(4:05 PM)

Well, he does earn his check.

Jason (Toronto)

If you had never seen an NBA game, which player would you think would be worth the most money to see in person on an average night?

Amin

(4:06 PM)

Other than LeBron or Durant? Steph Curry....seeing a little guy not much bigger than the average person (yes I know he's 6-3) dominate a game by shooting from everywhere is ridiculously fun

Ryan (St Petersburg)

Now if only the Hawks could "get" an all star player. How come top FA's avoid Atlanta like the plague???

Amin

(4:08 PM)

Joe Johnson came! Ha, seriously I think Atlanta is just now making itself into a viable destination. They are winning, they play an appealing style of ball and have good players (not to mention money!). I think we'll see them be bigger players in free agency moving forward

Eddie (Fresno)

If you ran the Kings, wouldn't you keep Boogie out a few more games than necessary, just to ensure your record stayed in the bottom 5?

Amin

(4:09 PM)

As Mike Malone said last night when asked whether it was hard for him to sit his best offensive players for defensive miscues, "my best offensive players have won me 15 games all year". So no, no need to sit Cousins for fear of "winning" too much.

Guy (CA)

Amin I had read that you have a story of Shaq and why he eats pork even though he is Muslim, care to share that story since it sounds interesting to hear about off court player interactions?

Amin

(4:12 PM)

When I first met Shaq, he asked me my name, then asked if I was Muslim. When I responded in the affirmative, he replied "salam alaikum" (peace be upon you) and told me that he was Muslim too, that his stepfather was Muslim and raised him that way, and that his name "Shaquille" is an Arabic name meaning "warrior" (it actually translates literally into "fighter"). So fast forward about a week or so later, and the postgame meal spread is in the locker room, and the entree is ribs, and I see Shaq tearing them up. In shock, I say "hey man! Those are pork ribs!" ...Shaq pauses mid-chew and asks me "what day is today?" ...I say "Wednesday", and he replies "On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm Muslim, Monday, Wednesday, Fridays and alternate weekends I'm Baptist" and continues to chow down.

Brian (NJ)

Can you do one chat where you answer all of the hypothetical trade questions? Who knows, maybe you will enjoy it!

Amin

(4:13 PM)

On that note, thanks for another thrilling chat with great questions. Don't forget to tune into TrueHoop TV Live tomorrow at 2pm ET!